Broken Stones
by Captain L
Summary: Angst & HC, what I write best. The main party encounters the Demon Wall & barely survives. Basch, no pairing. Harsh language & much gore.
1. Caught Between

**Broken Stones**

_or_

**Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place**

_A humorous angst by Lynza_

Begun 09:30 GMT, 27 November 2006

No pairings, Spoilers for King Raithwall's Tomb

Angst, H/C

Rated T for harsh language and violence

* * *

Chapter One: Caught Between

The Demon Wall was an unexpected foe, in so far as most walls, by definition, do not _move. _The torches were King Raithwall's concession to the humanity of his heirs—at least, that's what Ashe hoped they were. She hoped that her forefather had come to terms with the existence of _some _flaws in his offspring. But then again, were their places reversed, Ashe could not have granted any concessions to _her _heirs, should they go poking around in her tomb. She would, from her grave, hunt down the weaknesses in them, plague them with monsters and traps and—

_--moving walls?_

Ashe cursed the weakness of her companions as Penelo squeaked in fear and crumpled into a sideways tangle of limbs, completely senseless. She brought down her oak staff on the face of the wall—the face in the most literal sense—and howled defiance. Beside her, the sky pirate man fired yet more rounds into the wall, muttering to himself about absolutely ridiculous pirating conditions and something about messing up his pretty face. Ashe didn't take the time to listen to him. She was busy.

The freely-moving segment of the Wall waved its clawed hand at her, and reared back to strike. She quickly perceived that she would have no time to leap away as the Wall was moving forward just as quickly as she could move backwards. The heir of Raithwall brought up her staff to a guard, but the blow never landed. She did, however, catch a rather unsightly splatter of blood.

The traitor captain pushed her behind himself and took the blow, disguising his vocal reaction as a roar of aggression. He leapt forward and hacked at the wall, making one, two cuts. The Wall screamed back, then screeched to a halt. Behind them, Vossler finished extinguishing a torch and hurtled back into action. Infuriated by the sudden stop, the Demon Wall concentrated its efforts on the armoured man racing toward it. Unable to stop due to the inertia of his imperial-styled armour, the soldier rammed right into the wall, sword-point first. The force of the collision combined with the Wall's attack sent Vossler down right next to Penelo. Ashe was caught between cursing Vossler's stupidity and thanking the Gods that he didn't fall _on_ Penelo.

Out of patience and not listening to Ashe's half-spoke warning, Balthier threw a blizzard spell at the Wall. The spell reflected, and hit Fran instead. Fran cursed at Balthier and shot another arrow at the Wall. The Wall caught the arrow, but misinterpreted the projectile as another from Balthier—thus, it concentrated its efforts on the man rather than the Viera. Fran was caught between cursing the Wall's stupidity and thanking the Gods that it wasn't attacking her.

Ashe growled and whaled on the Wall mercilessly. She felt Vaan behind her, throwing Cure spells as fast as he could, but it wasn't enough to keep Balthier on his feet—the pirate landed right across Vossler's armoured middle, knocked out cold. From between the pirate and the princess, Basch was casting Cure on Ashe, trying to keep his charge from overdoing it. Ashe was caught between cursing Basch for his interference as a kingslaying traitor, and thanking the Gods that he was keeping her on her feet.

She stopped to toss a potion at him. He nodded gratitude and hacked at their enemy. The Wall caught sight of Vaan racing back towards another torch, and cast a strange spell that Ashe had never seen. She tried casting Poisona on Vaan, but it didn't seem to help. Instead, it caught the attention of the Wall. She cussed in a manner unbefitting of royalty and slung her staff out to parry. Basch failed to recognize her move in time, and jumped between her and the enemy just in time to receive a gory slash from the Wall and a knock upside the back of the head from her majesty. Ashe was caught between cursing her knight for getting up in her business, and thanking the Gods that the blow hadn't landed on her.

Fran took up casting Cure on Ashe in place of Basch, who was learning the finer points of time distortion from the Demon Wall. She was just about out of juice when she turned back to extinguish another torch. Instead of doing what the engraved plaque _said _it was going to do, the flame glowed blue. The Wall hurried towards her as if called by its master, casting the strange spell on her. Ashe shrieked at Fran angrily and back-pedalled, trying to stay out of range and at the same time not turn her back. Basch allowed the Wall to close distance and used the diminished range to hack madly at it.

The Viera skittered across the platform and sucker-punched the opposing brassiere. The flame on this one, as well, glowed blue. _Damned and blast. _She dashed towards the next set of torches, just as Vaan disappeared right off the face of the earth and she felt a twisting feeling in her gut, knowing that the same unknown fate awaited her. She turned with a snarl and shot again, then reached for the torch. This one, thankfully, extinguished. The Wall paused for a moment, then lashed out at Fran. Fran disappeared at the very moment; she was caught between cursing the magic that was carrying her away and thanking the Gods that she wasn't where she had been.

Ashe stopped cursing in favour of breathing. She didn't consider the idea of passing out. The idea simply wasn't in her conceptual vocabulary. Then again, the idea of moving Walls hadn't been in her conceptual vocabulary until two minutes ago, either. _Two minutes, two hours, two days…? _She shook her head and landed another blow against the wall. Beside her, she faintly heard Basch cry out and stumble. She had the vague idea of him pushing himself back to his feet just as she came to understand that she was staring at the rafters, rather than at the wall, and that the world was becoming very, very dark.

Basch took into account the pile of dead bodies at the foot of the Wall—he was very careful only to step on Balthier on his way up to strike. The Wall met his blade and howled, staggering as only a moving wall could stagger. With a cry of desperation, the knight swung again, meeting ensorcelled stone. The Wall cried back at him and threw him down, and shambled forward. The six that lay unconscious were neigh against the rear wall of the room. Basch himself had landed against the wall, cracking his skull and suppressing the urge to scream like a madman. Ears ringing, still unable to see from the blow to his head, he felt the Wall against the soles of his feet. He braced himself against the immobile wall and summoned all the Mist he could sense, willing it to obey him even though he had neither the will nor the power to hold it in check. He shouted briefly in pain as it coalesced around him, tendrils and puffs strengthening into arms and explosions and force. He threw all of his will forward at the Wall, and he knew fire and ice and pressure as the Mist rolled through him and into his enemy, exploding and burning and freezing and pressing.

* * *

Chapters at random until finish.

-- Cpt. L


	2. Broken Stones

Broken Stones  
_or  
_Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place  
A humorous angst by Lynza

Begun 09:30 GMT, 27 November 2006  
No pairings, Spoilers for King Raithwall's Tomb  
Angst, H/C  
Rated T for harsh language and violence

* * *

Chapter Two: Broken Stones

He folded as the Wall did, and stilled himself. He squinted through the dust and his own increasingly clouded vision until he spied the prone form of his princess. The others would be a regrettable loss—himself and Vossler were prepared for this; the pirates were no horrible concession to make for the cause; the boy-man and his little sister-friend were sad, indeed, but he had seen worser fates met by better people. Ashe, however, would live through this. _Must_ live through this. He used the last of his energy to dig a tuft of phoenix down from his vest, and sprinkled it over his princess. Then, he surrendered to senselessness.

Ashe woke up all at once, twitching at the sensation of being part of a human dog-pile and _dear Gods what was _That Man's _hand doing on her shoulder?! _For a moment, she considered that she would have to have a very thorough bath after rejoining society. And perhaps she would have to talk to a priest about purifying her left shoulder.

The hand slipped away as she sat up, and she caught sight of the wispy remains of phoenix feathers trailing on his fingertips. She stopped, completely awestruck for a moment, then deeply ashamed at her previous discourtesy. She casted Cure on herself to stop the awful throbbing in her skull, then took stock of the others. Balthier was sporting some nasty cuts on his shoulders and arms, but was not bleeding badly. Vossler was out with head trauma—he was in for a massive migraine headache upon reawakening, but he wasn't dying. Vaan and Fran were MIA, without a trace. Basch was bleeding all over the place, and Penelo was sporting a lump on her head and a few gashes along her arms and upper chest. Ashe considered for a moment the possibility of waking Penelo up first, and letting Penelo heal Basch while she tended to the others—but now that she looked at him, she wasn't so sure that Penelo would be up to the task. Basch had taken a majority of the beating for both himself and her, and had spent his magic keeping her safe.

Ashe found herself… _moved. _She knelt beside her fallen knight and concentrated on the strongest Cure she could conjure. Blue light moved from her hands to his chest, working where she could not see to fix wounds she could not identify. He made no movement. She frowned, and tried again, conjuring a slightly less powerful Cure, but still concentrating as she could. Again, blue light moved from her hands to his body; this time, she could see torn flesh knitting, and his bleeding slowed from the wounds on his midsection. Needing help, Ashe extracted a phoenix down tuft from her own pocket and dropped it on Balthier—he was a fool, but he of all of them would have the most power remaining after the battle.

Balthier grunted and pushed himself up to sit. "Ugh, I feel like some sumo wrestler stomped on my chest." He rolled gingerly to his feet and brushed off, pulling a potion from his belt and chugging it expertly. "Good morning, princess." He tossed the bottle off the platform and noticed with chagrin that it failed to hit bottom and shatter.

"The others are merely unconscious, they do not require our help," Ashe reported tartly. "The captain, however, seems to have outdone himself." She worried her lower lip with her teeth, and pulled a potion from her own belt to dump over her knight's wounds.

Balthier swaggered over and knelt beside her, glancing critically over the situation. He whistled softly, and noted just as softly, "He's bleeding badly."

"I know."

"He's bleeding from his ears, nose, and eyes."

"I _know_."

"I've never seen someone bleed from their eyes."

Ashe paused for a moment, then replied quietly, "Neither have I."

Balthier concentrated on a healing spell, and gave instructions at the same time. "Get Penelo and Buckethead up. They'll need to find Fran."

"Fran can help?"

Balthier shook his head. "I don't know. I hope so. Your hard-headed hero here harnessed more Mist than he could handle. This is why they license people for such things. Fran is an expert with Mist and the like. She'll be able to tell us more." Blue light glowed at his palms and took root in Basch's head. The effects were not immediately apparent.

Ashe stood up and retrieved the remainder of her phoenix down supply from her pockets, applying them to the girl and Vossler. Each of them yawned widely as they awakened, then Vossler winced and cradled his head.

"I have The. Worst. Migraine. right now," Penelo observed in a hang-over whisper.

"I share the sentiment," Vossler acknowledged in the same volume.

"You two, get back to the teleport crystal outside," Ashe ordered. "See if you can't bring back Vaan and Fran. Be quick about it."

"Yes, your Majesty," Vossler bowed and shuffled off, Penelo in tow.

Ashe prayed that they move quickly. She knelt beside Balthier again and applied a potion to Basch's obvious wounds.

Balthier shed his vest and wadded it up, placing it under Basch's head and neck very gently, and checking him over more thoroughly.

It occurred to Ashe that Balthier was very concerned. Very, very concerned. "How can I help?"

"I haven't a clue, my dear," he tried to sound nonchalant, but his voice was strained. "If I were your Highness, though, I would look after myself, just in case something beastly wandered this way."

Ashe ignored his disrespectful tone and did as he suggested, casting Cure on herself and wrapping her own wounds.

Fran was the first of the group to arrive back, Vossler and the others a full minute behind.

"What has happened?" she demanded, prancing over the debris past Ashe and directly to Balthier.

"I was hoping you could tell us," he admitted, tipping his head to the side slightly.

Fran sniffed a little, moving her right hand to Basch's forehead and letting it rest there. "He has more Mist than he should—it was stronger than him. It burned its way through him and there is still some in him. We need to restore the balance."

"Is… is Captain Basch going to be okay?" Penelo asked shakily, trying but failing to sound unafraid. Vaan pulled her towards him in a supportive gesture.

Fran looked up at Penelo critically. "Do you have the nethicite with you, yet?"

Penelo nodded and produced it from a pocket in her light armour, stepping forward carefully over the broken stones and passing it to Fran.

"Let's get out of the way, shall we?" Vossler encouraged Penelo and Vaan. He corralled them towards the other end of the platform to await whatever news developed.

Fran moved to set it on Basch, but as it approached him, the nethicite began to glow. The captain shook, then jolted; he cried out in his unconsciousness, and his face contorted wildly. Mist so thick that it was visible crawled out of his body, wound around him, and slithered into the nethicite. Fran dropped the nethicite in surprise and gasped, reacting to the Mist.

Ashe cursed the Viera's sensitivity and weakness and seized the stone, holding it to her knight and willing her hand still as yet more Mist tore itself from his body and flew to the artefact. Basch gave one final jolt as the Mist dissipated, and groaned feebly. He shivered as he awoke, bleary eyes focusing on Ashe as she set aside the stone and traded it for a potion. She lifted him a bit and tipped the liquid down his throat. He accepted it willingly, keeping his eyes on Ashe's.

"My lady… is safe…" Basch observed weakly.

Ashe nodded. "Thank you, Captain von Ronsenburg. You are a worthy knight."

He smiled and rested his head against her arm, his eyes closing again.

"He will sleep deeply, now," Fran informed Ashe. "It will take some time for him to heal. It would be best to rest here, and not move him more than is needed."

"Is it safe enough here?" she asked.

"For now," Fran replied cryptically. "It is important that he be allowed to rest. It is possible that… his mind may be broken."

Ashe pursed her lips and eased him back down against Balthier's crumpled vest, dread taking root in her heart.

"It is important," she added, "that someone watch him at all times."

"I'll keep watch," Ashe agreed. "Fran, I would like you to keep watch when I cannot. The others shall set up camp and keep the platform clear of enemies."

Balthier nodded silently for once, and went to inform the others.

Ashe sat on the broken rocks between Basch and Fran, and pulled her knees to her chin. She wrapped her arms around her legs and hid her face from view. "I was _cruel _to him, Fran," she squeaked, without composure once the others had gone. "I was _cruel._ I called him a traitor and a kingslayer. Surely this is not the man who killed my father."

Fran rested a hand on Ashe's shoulder. "And surely you may trust him more, now that you know his loyalty?"

Ashe sniffed and nodded.

The Viera removed her hand and stood up, taking a cursory sniff at the air. "There is a great concentration of Mist nearby. If any magic is to be done to restore your knight, it should be done there."

Her head snapped up as she grasped the sound of hope. "Nearby? Can you tell where it is?"

"Deep underground," Fran shook her head. "I can tell no more than that."

Ashe analyzed this. "Alright. Alright. We'll make camp until the others are recovered, then we shall find this place."

Fran glanced back at Ashe with an amused quirk of her thin lagomorphic brow. "We? Your Majesty should be keeping watch."

"That remains to be seen. I may leave Penelo with you, or Vaan."

"Very well."

And so it was. Ashe, Vaan, Balthier, and Rossler set out six hours later in search of a way _down_. The directions were vague, but adequate for the purpose. She lead them at a harsh pace through the maze of monsters, and wished that she had kept Fran with her to sense the Mist; she reasoned, however, that someone who knew the disease should stay with the patient. It took nearly a half-day to make their way through the north segment of the dungeon. Upon their return from the first half, they sat at camp to rest and take food. Fran joined them gracefully and quietly.

"Is there any change?" Ashe inquired, trying to sound professional and not concerned.

Fran nodded. "He is awake. His—Lady Ashe, please wait."

Ashe dropped her bowl and was up over the mountain of broken stones before Fran could explain.

* * *

Try to spot the major rhetorical device used in this chapter. Fifty Lynza Points to the first five to do it without help.

-- Cpt. L


	3. Mind Burn

Broken Stones  
_or  
_Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place  
A humorous angst by Lynza

Begun 09:30 GMT, 27 November 2006  
No pairings, Spoilers for King Raithwall's Tomb  
Angst, H/C  
Rated T for harsh language and violence

* * *

Chapter Three: Mind Burned 

Captain Basch awoke as if someone had tripped a switch. His eyes opened, and he looked around instinctually.

Penelo startled, then sighed relief. "Oh thank the Gods. You're awake."

Basch stared at her for a long moment.

The girl stared uneasily back. "Um… sir…? Are… are you feeling any better?"

Basch squinted at her words, as if trying to make sense of them. The squint turned into a wince, and he brought his hands up to his forehead, groaning quietly.

Penelo leaned forward and compassionately ran her hand along the exposed side of his head, trying to remember what her mother had done when she was a little girl and was struck ill.

Slowly, Basch relaxed and let his hands fall away to his sides. He leaned into the touch slightly, and gave a little sigh. "Little Hope. Your hand is like a song." His voice sounded dry and hoarse, as if his very throat had been burned.

Penelo smiled gently and continued, glad that she could help. "Lady Ashe is so worried. Fran said that your mind may have broken and that there is a place nearby with a lot of Mist, and that if we needed to heal you that we should take you there. The others are out looking for that place right now. They'll be so happy to find out that you're not broken."

Basch winced through her outpouring of information, unable to make sense of most of what the girl was saying. "True Spirit… Lady Pirate…" he mumbled to himself, screwing his eyes shut. "Broken Knight."

She paused for a moment. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. "What?"

Basch groaned again and brought his hands back to his head, clasping them over his ears and twisting onto his side.

Penelo freaked out. "Oh no. Fran! Shh shh, it's okay. Fran! He needs your help! Shh, it will be okay."

Fran bounded over the rocks with an air of alarm, and shuffled Penelo out of the way. She leaned forward and brought Basch's hands away from his ears, stroked his back, and whispered soothingly. "Hush, your princess is well. You will be well. There is nothing to worry you, nothing."

Basch quieted to the sound of Fran's meaningless whispers, and slowly unwrapped himself from the fetal position he had taken. He shakily pressed himself up to sit. "Lady Pirate knows what is wrong with Broken Knight," he mumbled in a strange tone.

It took a moment to register as a question. Fran squeezed his shoulder bracingly. "Yes."

"True Spirit is well."

"Yes."

Basch nodded and rested his forehead against his knees. "The others?"

"The others are well. Rest here." Fran stood and motioned Penelo away. Together, they picked back over the broken rocks and paced down the platform, out of earshot. "Speak to him in simple terms, if you must speak to him at all. His mind is broken. I cannot do anything for him until we find the place the Mist is concentrating."

Penelo seemed to shrink in dismay. "I thought he was okay, I thought he, I mean, he was talking funny, but he always speaks kind of weird, but whatever I said, I think I—"

Fran drew her lips into a little straight line, and silenced the girl with a touch on the shoulder. "You did fine. He is… he seems to have lost a great deal of his ability to process speech, and he is trying. It is still possible to speak with him, but be slow and simple."

"He's not Captain Basch anymore, is he," she said fearfully.

Fran chuckled, a quiet sound of skipping rocks and bells.

Penelo looked up hopefully.

"Of course he is still Captain Basch. Who else would he be?"

She blushed and looked away in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I thought that if a person's mind is gone, then—"

"His mind is not gone yet," Fran treated Penelo to a little smile. "It's just injured. Go speak with him, and you will see. There is still another two hours to your watch, yet."

Penelo nodded sheepishly, then picked back over the rocks, glancing back every once in awhile.

Fran sighed and shook her head. _Humes_… _always so melodramatic._

* * *

Penelo sat beside Basch and waited. He was still resting his forehead on his knees, his legs pulled up halfway and his arms around them to brace him. His eyes were closed. After a long moment, Penelo shifted so that she was sitting precisely parallel to him, and leaned on his shoulder gently. 

Basch opened his eyes and glanced over at her apologetically. "Broken Knight scared Little Hope."

She half-smiled in return. "I made your head hurt. I'm sorry."

After a moment, he gave a fraction of a shrug. "No worries."

Penelo gave him a full smile in gratitude. "How are you feeling?"

Another moment passed as he ciphered the meaning of her words. "Giant bruise," he replied simply. "Worst hangover ever."

She giggled slightly. "I'm happy you are still alive."

Basch buried his face in his arms again, folding his hands over his neck. "Still alive, still alive… easier to be dead."

"Don't say that," Penelo encouraged him quietly. "We need you. You're… you're kind of a bad-ass, you know. That's what Vaan says."

Basch squinted and furrowed his brow. "Almost says… bad-ass?" He hugged his head a little more persistently and frowned. "_Bad-ass?_"

"It means really skilled and determined and admirable," Penelo explained, careful to pace her words.

"Admirable?"

"Yeah."

He snorted and gave her a rueful smile. "Aim higher."

Penelo giggled quietly. "You're not so bad."

They sat together in silence. After a moment, he unfolded and sniffed the air with interest. Penelo noted that Fran had begun to prepare dinner. That meant that the others would be returning soon, if they could. Her stomach growled at her with a promise of persistence, and she blushed.

"Hungry?" Basch asked with an innocent quirk of humor.

"Yes. You?"

"Yes."

She stood and brushed off. "I'll go get some food for us. Stay here."

Basch nodded and stared off into nowhere.

Fran had three bowls and some bread ready when Penelo approached the makeshift camp. "Well?"

Penelo grinned and accepted two of the bowls. "You're right. Still Captain Basch."

She nodded assuringly and continued employing fire stones to cook food for the rest of the party.

"I think I like speaking to him better this way," she admitted wryly. "It's easier to understand him."

Fran chuckled again—twice in that one day-- and sent her away.

The way-point on the right was beginning to shimmer; the others were returning. With a flash and the smell of ozone, they appeared on the square of ornamented tile. Balthier and Vaan chattered amiably and commented on the smell of cooked trail rations, but Vossler and Ashe remained silent as they approached and were seated. No sooner were bowls in hand than Ashe inquired of Fran, "Is there any change?"

Fran nodded slowly, choosing her words. "He is awake. His—Lady Ashe, please wait."

Ashe dropped her bowl and vaulted over the rocks, all pretence of dignity forgotten.

* * *

Still no takers on the rhetorical device of chapter two. Come on, this is rudimentary. I know you can get it.

- Cpt. L


	4. BaschBashing

Chapter Four: Basch-Bashing

Ashe topped the rock pile and stopped, surveying the scene before her. Basch and Penelo sat, chatting in amiable tones broken into pieces and pauses by his slowed understanding. She meant to listen for a short while, but as soon as Basch heard her footsteps, he was on his feet by virtue of pure instinct.

For a moment, everything stopped. Ashe and Basch stared at each other intently, Penelo watched on without speaking. Just as suddenly as the silent moment began, it came to a crashing end as Basch's expression twisted to that of an animal in pain. He mumbled mournfully to himself and sank back to the ground, holding his head in his hands.

Penelo moved to his side again, rubbing his back reassuringly and whispering meaninglessly. "Shh, shh, it's okay." She glanced backward at Ashe, who was picking her way down the broken stones carefully.

"Fran said this might happen," Ashe told herself aloud. She knelt in front of the two and covered Basch's hands in hers. "Captain von Ronsenburg?"

Basch whimpered. It was a sound neither of them had ever heard before, and it was disconcerting to them both.

"He's… he doesn't understand," Penelo informed her in low tones. "He doesn't understand names, and he has a difficult time with nouns in general."

Ashe's train of thought stopped at the station as she considered for a moment Penelo's linguistic education. Then it started again. "Basch?" She gently forced his hands away and turned his face to her. She subconsciously avoided staring at the scar along his brow. "Basch, it's me."

He raised his eyes timidly to hers and gazed unsure. "True Spirit."

"That's what he calls you," Penelo informed her matter-of-factly.

"We know of a place where the Mist is thick and it will be possible to repair whatever it is that has happened to you. We'd like to take you there as soon as possible. It will be just a few more hours."

Basch grappled with her meaning and failed, shaking his head as the throbbing pain returned.

"He doesn't understand," the other girl told her. "Broken Knight?" she nudged Basch's arm gently. "True Spirit wants to take you somewhere later. She's going to take care of you."

A half-minute passed. Fran, Balthier, Vossler, and Vaan involuntarily eavesdropped from the other side of the rock heap.

Basch shook his head again, this time in disbelief. "I failed Peace King and True Prince and Too Young." His breathing became troubled, and he seemed about to cry. It was an unusual look for him. "Broken Knight could not keep the Power Eaters away from the kingdom and True Spirit hates me. But. But True Spirit, wants to—ugh." He attempted to bring his hands back to his head, but Ashe wouldn't let him. He whined gently, closing his eyes. "Why would you want… to…" He stopped and squeezed his eyes closed more tightly, trying hard to wrangle the thoughts pounding his brain.

Ashe smiled gently and rested her forehead against his. "Broken Knight. That's you."

"Mmh."

She laughed gently. "Sir Ronsenburg, you really have hit your head, haven't you? I _didn't_ _understand_. Vaan told me what you told him. I don't blame you for any of it."

Basch whimpered again, eerily.

Ashe set her hands on his arms in an awkward sort of hug, and hushed him. "I thought… I thought wrong. I am sorry I treated you the way I did, and I am very, very grateful for your loyalty."

Unexpectedly, Basch opened his arms and pulled Ashe into his lap, holding her and burying his face in her hair. "Last child of Peace King. Broken Knight knew True Spirit when she was tiny. Protected her. Will always protect her."

Ashe shifted uncomfortably in her place smashed up against his chest. His strength may have told otherwise, but Gods was he skinny. She regretted that fact now. "I know. And now True Spirit is going to take care of you."

* * *

On the other side of the wall, Balthier stared at the rafters, counting bats idly. "I knew the man was out of his mind, but now its official." 

Vaan scowled at him. "Give him a break, he's been through a lot."

"And now he's a drivelling mess, that's all I'm saying."

Fran scowled at them both. "The captain thinks strongly in symbols. That's all that is left of his mind. He will return to normal once I restore the balance of Mist in him."

"And how about restoring a little balance over here?" Balthier suggested with a tricky quirk of an eyebrow and a little upward twist to one corner of his mouth.

Without a change in her facial expression, Fran socked him affectionately in the stomach.

* * *

Penelo watched the transformation with a sort of awe. In the course of the last two minutes, Basch had gone from an affable—if a bit dense—puppy of a man, to a tortured and self-hating soul, to a man at peace who had everything he needed in life right in his arms. 

'Everything he needed,' however, was somewhat perturbed and more than a little impatient to be let go. It was a little like watching a child hold a restless cat. Penelo giggled silently at the thought.

"Knight," she requested. "Let go of me."

Basch reluctantly released her, gazing with complete adoration and obedience.

Ashe couldn't wait for Fran to fix him; she was far more comfortable with the soldier whom she could hate at will than with the puppy who hated himself. She stood and Basch followed her example, lending a hand to Penelo. Ashe frowned for a moment. "Are you fit to travel?"

Basch nodded once.

Ashe weighed the pros and cons of having him along—among the benefits were her improved ability to look after him; among the detriments were her increased obligation to look after him. She slowly nodded her permission for him to follow, turned, and began to pick her way through the broken stones, Penelo behind her, and Basch at the end. They encountered the others leaning up against the foot of the rock pile, attempting to look nonchalant. Ashe glared at them on her way past.

"What?" Balthier attempted to sound innocent, but he couldn't help stepping away from Basch as the man walked past.

Basch wrinkled his eyebrows at him, puzzled by Balthier's avoidance, but said nothing.

"Break camp," Ashe ordered. "We leave."

The others hauled themselves to their feet and retrieved their personal effects, racing to catch up with the princess, the knight, and the younger girl. "He's coming with us, is he?" Balthier scoffed. "He can hardly speak, how can he fight?"

Basch gave Ashe a meaningful look, then glanced in irritation back at Balthier. Fran hid a tiny laugh behind her hand.

"We can't spend all our time looking after him," Balthier insisted, marching up to Ashe with purpose. Ashe and Basch turned as one, and the pirate found himself lifted off the ground by his shirt.

"Are you questioning my orders?" Ashe asked quietly.

Basch growled at him. Balthier grasped at the knight's wrist in an effort to free himself, giving a yelp as Basch complied and he dropped. He missed his feet and fell to his knees, hard. The somewhat compromised position caused him to flush and scramble backwards awkwardly before leaping nimbly to his feet, looking hurt and offended but unable to force out a protest for a full five seconds. His reply was based in his injured pride. "Yes. Yes, I _am_ questioning your orders. Fran and I aren't seeing much treasure, given that this _is _a tomb, and what's more it _is _the tomb of possibly _the _most famous king _ever._ So, as this is a _completely _profitless endeavour—indeed, it is costing us the gil for the fuel to keep the Strahl in neutral and invisible—and so I _am _questioning the benefits of staying with your little party, _princess_. I don't think--"

"Stop it!" Penelo screamed at him, silencing him. Her shout echoed around the chamber, making more poignant the quiet that followed. As the pirate's speech had progressed, Basch had become increasingly agitated and gave outward signs of the pain in his skull. His posture suffered and his eyes closed; sweat began beading up on his forehead and nose. He dug his fingers into his scalp harshly.

Penelo pulled his arms down and demanded eye-contact. "You're okay," she told him quietly. "It's okay. You're okay. Shhh."

Basch concentrated on her voice, calming slowly.

Balthier was crestfallen. "I… I'm sorry."

Ashe glared hotly at him. "You can go back outside if you wish, but travelling back across the sands may be difficult with only two people."

"One person," Fran corrected as fiercely.

Balthier shook his head. "No, I… I'm sorry." He watched as the rest of the group turned and left him; he let them walk the lead, trailing after them sheepishly.

* * *

The battles were significantly easier with Basch, Fran, and Penelo back in the game. When Ashe and her party tired, there was someone to step in for them while they rested. When someone needed healing, there was always someone to heal them. The only inconvenience was the necessity for a simple mode of speech... and Basch's inability to work magic... or quickenings... and his pathetic lack of defence and tolerance against magic... 

It was more inconvenient than Ashe had originally supposed.

As a result, Vossler and Vaan tried to take the focus of the enemy's hate; this was difficult, as Basch repeatedly threw himself in to protect Vaan, and didn't give up protecting Ashe. They were running out of potions quickly. Fran tolerated this with quiet impatience, and the others said nothing. Balthier took it upon himself to speak up—but he observed the need for simpler communications. So, when he spoke up, the message was very clear.

Balthier bodily shoved Basch out of the way as he attempted to take a blow. The pirate took the hit, and they landed in a pile on the floor. Balthier sat on the larger man's chest and refused to move, casting Cure spells over his shoulder and working to keep the knight on the ground.

As the rest of the group disposed of the Skull Knight, Basch wrestled Balthier to the ground and glared at him, more angry than injured, but more troubled than angry. "Why?"

Balthier drew his hands and forearms up and did not struggle, not wishing to attract any unnecessary punches. "Let us."

Basch shook his head, releasing his captive and standing.

"Basch," he barked insistently, standing right after him. "Let. Us."

The knight looked away.

As the others began moving again, he stepped in so that only the Captain could hear him. "We protect her, too. Let us help." He gained eye contact for his efforts, and held it until he felt he properly conveyed his honesty. "Let us."

Basch nodded, and did.

* * *

The party unlocked the final wing of the tomb; Fran took the lead, guiding them by her sense of smell and intuition. Vaan and Penelo were unusually quiet, spending a great deal of their time scoping out their surroundings—the tomb was, after all, rather impressive. Balthier and Ashe stood to either side of Basch, keeping watch over him. His posture and speed suffered significantly as they progressed, and his path began to weave. Ashe was concerned. 

Fran reached the final double-doors first, and waited for the others to collect behind her before poking the mechanism. The doors swung open and a puff of Mist flowed out over them, thick enough to see it. Behind them, there was a soft thud.

"Whoa!" Vaan exclaimed, inarticulate in amazement.

The Viera smiled slightly in acknowledgement of her find.

"This is Mist?" Penelo wondered, waving a hand in the air.

"Yes. Sometimes Mist will concentrate in one place."

"So thick we can see it?"

Fran nodded. "A Mist such as this allows for the working of powerful magics."

"And powerful healings?" Ashe added.

Fran and Penelo looked behind them to Ashe. She and Balthier knelt near Basch, who lay in a heap at the door's threshhold, unconscious.

* * *

I imagine the warning label on Mist might look a little something like that on Nyquil. "Do not use while operating heavy machinery."  
"May cause mild to severe headache and/or unconsciousness." But by God, you will get your sleep.  
-- Cpt. L 


	5. Intercession

Chapter Five: Intercession

Fran shot a look to her partner, who understood the non-verbal and complied. He gently lifted Basch and threw him over his shoulder in a fireman's carry, and followed her into the room. She led him along the balcony, following her senses around to another flight of stairs, where she sighted Belias and froze. "Back," she whispered urgently. "Go back. Back to the door. I do not think it has yet seen us."

The others scurried back as quietly as they could, Fran keeping a cautious eye on the still Esper. Balthier grunted and eased his cargo very carefully back to the ground.

"That way cannot yet open to us. The Mist is not as strong here as it is closer, but it will have to do." Fran placed both of her hands over him and closed her eyes, trying to forget the beast that dwelt a few levels below them.

"What's she doing?" Penelo asked, as politely as was possible.

"Fran is an energy healer," Balthier explained quietly. "Most Viera pursue some healing art, whether herbal, spiritual, or energy manipulation. In this case, she is attempting to restore the balance of Mist created naturally by our Captain and the Mist he took in from his environment. Then, his mind will heal itself."

"That's amazing," she whispered in admiration. "Can… can that be learned?"

"Absolutely," he told her. "But we'll have to be very quiet so that Fran can keep her concentration."

Penelo nodded and sat back on her heels, watching raptly.

Sweat began to bead on Fran's tiny nose. "I cannot concentrate," she announced finally. Before she had let her hands drop, Balthier reached out and placed his hands above hers, barely touching. She gave him a brief smile of appreciation, and received a nod from him before starting again. They both closed their eyes and appeared to enter a state of meditation.

Ashe, Vaan, Penelo, and Vossler stood back and watched as the two pirates made simultaneous movements with their hands, never touching the captain but gaining puffs of Mist at various intervals. It seemed to take forever. Neither pirate showed tension in their bodies or movements, but it was evident in both of their voices when they did speak.

"This should have--" Balthier began.

"I know," Fran finished.

"I hate to be the one to speak of honour and debts, but…"

"We shall," she agreed.

"If it weren't for us—"

"Again," she told him, amused but with strain in her tone, "You speak of things with which I am already familiar."

Balthier smiled a little, but his eyes remained closed. His hands remained over his partner's, allowing her to guide him in the craft he knew only a little about. He prayed it was enough.

Ashe marvelled at how connected Balthier and Fran seemed to be. In that moment, they may as well have been inside one another's mind—their hands and thoughts seemed to move as one. Even she and Rasler, she was sorry to admit, were not as thoroughly connected. Here, they were even finishing each other's sentences and answering questions unasked.

Penelo and Vaan shared a different thought, though they weren't connected enough to guess that the other was thinking the same. For a moment, they both felt they could understand a little more about their pirates—there was something softer to both of them, though Fran covered it up with aloofness and Balthier with sheer charisma. Vaan smiled softly, and hoped that one day he would have a partner like that. Penelo smiled even more softly, and hoped that she could be a partner like that for Vaan.

But neither said anything, for fear of embarrassment; as is often the case.

* * *

Forever seemed to take even longer. Balthier scowled impatiently. "Couldn't I just—"

"You could, now," Fran allowed, then added, "Be careful."

"Of course," his frown became a little smile. Fran removed her hands, and a cord of Mist streamed out of Basch and into Balthier's palms. He broke away after a moment, eyes wide and a look of pure exhilaration on his features. "Nice," he smirked.

"Go and shoot something, Hume," Fran ordered.

"I could never deny an order such as that," his smirk took the air of a little boy grin; he unfolded himself and wandered back down the hall from which they came.

"Should a few of us go with him?" Vaan wondered.

"He will be fine," his partner reassured. As if on cue, what sounded like a clap of thunder echoed down the hall, with a corresponding flash of light and a greatly amused laugh from Balthier. "He is hunting."

Vaan and Penelo exchanged a careful glance.

Basch opened his eyes, winced, then sat up straight. "My lady--?"

"We are all well," Ashe replied.

He calmed visibly, glancing around at them each in turn. "I… I apologize for being a burden. Thank you each dearly for your help." He gave Fran a nod. "Especially you, Lady Warrior."

Fran smiled back. "It was but a passing deed. Speak no more on it."

Basch pushed himself to his feet, and the others followed. "I… remember a great deal of what has happened, but only in very simple terms."

Ashe took the cue. "The Mist seems to be concentrating here; we brought you here so Fran could heal you, but we were unaware of the force that collected the Mist here. There is an Esper on the lowest level of this chamber."

He nodded gravely.

"It stands between us and the nethicite," she continued.

"Then we shall remove it," Basch replied evenly.

She gazed at him intently. "Can you fight?"

He allowed her a little smile.

She mirrored the tiny smile. "We wait for Balthier, then we shall to battle."

Balthier jogged back up the stairs and rounded the corner on them, seeming quite pleased with himself. "Good hunting, back that way," he remarked pleasantly.

"Let's go," Vaan decided, ever ready to fight the good fight. He, Penelo, and Vossler proceeded down the stairs, now unconcerned with the element of stealth. Fran tugged Ashe away to follow them, leaving the two men behind for a brief moment.

Basch appreciated the Viera's impeccable intuition. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Balthier, thank you for—"

"No worries," Balthier dismissed quickly, not wanting the uneasy moment to last.

"No," he said thoughtfully. "Tis a matter of honour. If it weren't for you… I owe you a great deal."

Balthier allowed himself a tiny smirk, restoring some of the previous animosity between them. "You certainly do, Captain."

Basch twitched good-naturedly. "Do you want me to swear on your ship or some such?"

He shook out his shoulders. "That won't be necessary." He frowned, and worked his left shoulder again.

"Something wrong?"

"Not really," he mused, following Basch down the steps to follow the others. "Just, ever since Ashe woke me up, I feel like someone stomped on my chest."

Basch looked up and away.

Balthier caught the action and sputtered angrily, "Did you--!"

"To battle!" Basch roared, charging forward.

* * *

A.N.- Finally. This fiction turned into something I did not want it to be. Originally, it was to be a single chapter, and it was to end with the healing of Ashe. I believe perhaps it should have stopped there, but I wanted to write a little interaction between Balthier and Basch--- Basch may be my favourite character by default of being a swordsman, but Balthier is the definition of cool. I want to be Balthier when I grow up. Assuming first that I ever grow up.

I will post the original intent of the fiction as Chapter Six. It will begin with the beginning and end where it should have ended.

Thank you for reading.

-- Cpt. L


End file.
